Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email The education secretary has ordered headteachers to “get off their backsides” to complete surveys into whether their buildings contain dangerous crumbling concrete. Gillian Keegan said one in 20 schools is yet to complete […] More
Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, is facing criticism after her sweary outburst over the school concrete crisis was caught by a hot mic on Monday 4 September.In a moment of frustration, she hit out at those who she argued had “sat on their arse and done nothing” and questioned why no one was saying “You’ve done a f****** good job”.While her outburst piles pressure on Rishi Sunak and the government, Ms Keegan wasn’t the first politician to be caught out by a live microphone – and she certainly won’t be the last.Here, The Independent takes a look at some of the most famous hot-mic moments from years gone by. More
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Watch as Jeremy Hunt and his junior ministers answer questions on a range of issues in parliament on Tuesday 5 September. Rishi Sunak and his government return to the House of Commons amid […] More
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight The Port of Dover wants to reclaim some of the English Channel to build more space and avoid the lengthy queues which have marked […] More
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Watch from Downing Street as Rishi Sunak meets with his cabinet for the first time since summer recess on Tuesday morning (5 September), amid the school concrete crisis. Pressure is mounting on the […] More
Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Kemi Badenoch has emerged as the most popular cabinet minister in Rishi Sunak’s government, according to a survey charting the views of the Conservative […] More
Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email China’s foreign minister is seeking to sell his Italian counterpart on the benefits of leader Xi Jinping’s signature “Belt and Road” initiative of Chinese-built and -funded infrastructure projects, as Rome considers whether to […] More
Sir Gavin William apologised “fully and unreservedly” in the House of Commons for sending a series of expletive-laden messages to the former chief whip.Sir Gavin had sent a series of expletive-laden text messages to the then chief whip, Wendy Morton in September 2022 in the run-up to the Queen’s funeral, in part complaining that he was not invited to the ceremony. The messages were leaked to the media and Ms Morton lodged a complaint in November 2022.“During this exchange I used intemperate and inappropriate language which I regret and I apologised for shortly after,” he said.“I apologise to them again now and I apologise to the House fully and unreservedly. I will do my utmost to ensure this does not happen again.” More
